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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28967544">Lost in Translation</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Castiell/pseuds/Castiell'>Castiell</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>"Enemies", Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Foreign Language, Highschool AU, Humor, Jealousy, Love Triangles, M/M, Multi, but enemies in quotation marks</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:15:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,323</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28967544</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Castiell/pseuds/Castiell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Hinata reluctantly agrees to switch partners with his friend Nishinoya for a school project, he ends up being paired with the two class pariahs: Kenma Kouzume, a reclusive foreign transfer student who struggles with the language and has found the easiest way to avoid speaking it is by remaining as silent as possible, and Kageyama Tobio, a young man with a mysterious past, known to be roughly confrontational at worst and aggressively defensive at best. He is also the only one in the class who can speak Kenma's language. </p><p>As Hinata attempts to draw both boys from their shells over the course of two weeks, he finds both a keen understanding and a profound warmth stuck behind the language barrier. With Kageyama acting as resident translator and with the days quickly flying by in each other's company, Hinata finds it hard to tell who he's falling for: The one creating such lovely words, or the one speaking them.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>(mentioned) - Relationship, Azumane Asahi/Nishinoya Yuu, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Hinata Shouyou/Kozume Kenma, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi, Shimizu Kiyoko/Yachi Hitoka, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. And You Agreed to this Willingly?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Let's just all close our eyes and imagine that for the most, everyone is in the same grade and most of them go to the same school. (it makes my job easier)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You have to do this for me, Hinata. You owe me.” </p><p>“You know what’s absolutely crazy, Nishinoya? I don’t have to do this and I don’t owe you. Isn’t that weird how that works out?”</p><p>“Uh, yeah you do. Remember when you spilled orange juice on your pants-”</p><p>“I owe you.”</p><p>“And you asked me to bring you a spare pair-”</p><p>“What favor do you want?”</p><p>“Because you had somehow convinced Kiyoko to lend you her cheerleading skirt and I just so happened to have my phone out when I walked into the bathroom to deliver your pants-”</p><p>“I said I owe you! Were you planning on having me repay my debt in emotional distress or something else?”</p><p>“Something else, I’m glad you asked. Switch partners with me.”</p><p>Hinata studied this friend of his sitting next to him. Nishinoya, someone who had become his most troublesome and yet most loyal friend, slumped down on the desk, staring up at him with sorrowful puppy dog eyes. Maybe if Hinata did this favor for him, the skirt incident would never be brought up again. And the digital photo would be deleted. And the physical copy Noya had printed out would be burned. </p><p>But if he was willing to cash in such an expensive favor owed, there had to be some sort of catch. </p><p>“Why do you want to switch partners?”</p><p>“Because you’re partnered with Yachi and Kiyoko, they’re super hot!”</p><p>“They’re both out of your league.”</p><p>“They’re both out of my league.”</p><p>“And you have a boyfriend.”</p><p>“And I have a boyfriend.”</p><p>“So what’s the real reason?”</p><p>Noya hesitated, as if the real reason was so bad he didn’t want to speak it and scare Hinata away. </p><p>“Okay, it’s not because I want to be partners with who you got paired with. It’s because I <em> don’t </em> want to be partners with who <em> I </em> got paired with.”</p><p>“Why? Who did you get paired with?”</p><p>“That new foreign exchange student!”</p><p>“Well, that doesn’t seem so bad. He’s kind of cute honestly, maybe not your type but-”</p><p>“Hinata, I have a boyfriend.”</p><p>“These mixed signals are really confusing me.” </p><p>“And so far the foreign exchange student hasn’t talked to anybody. He’s super reclusive, and believe me, Tanaka and I tried to introduce ourselves, he literally just stared at us until we walked away. It was way too awkward.” </p><p>“I’d do the same thing if you and Tanaka walked up to me.” </p><p>“But that’s not such a bad thin, in of itself, so what he doesn’t immediately like me? It doesn’t bother me-”</p><p>“Oh, it definitely does.”</p><p>“What bothers me is who else I’m paired with.” </p><p>Nishinoya paused, waiting for Hinata to take the bait. Hinata decided to let him wait. </p><p>“Okay fine, who did you get paired-”</p><p>“TOBIO KAGEYAMA!”</p><p>It was a free period, but that didn’t stop the teacher at the front of the room and everyone else in the room from whipping around to look at them. Used to drawing attention to themselves, both boys ignored it. </p><p>Hinata made a show of glancing down at an imaginary watch. “Wow, it took three whole minutes for you to raise your voice above the socially accepted level. That’s a new record, good job Nishinoya!” </p><p><em> “Tobio Kageyama!” </em>Nishinoya stage whispered. “Who wants to be paired with Tobio Kageyama? He’s rude, surly and he doesn’t talk to anyone either, so a perfect match for the new student then, but not for me! I’m pretty sure he hates me.” </p><p>“I’m pretty sure he hates everybody.”</p><p>“Exactly! Including me! And I don’t like him! His stupid, snotty look infuriates me, it’s like he thinks he’s better than all of us or something. I really don’t want to have to deal with them for a whole two weeks for this huge group project. My grades can’t afford that and I can’t afford to get suspended for another fight.” </p><p>“Woah, who said anything about fighting?”</p><p>“I did, right now. The last time I got paired with him was for a science project and even though it totally wasn’t my fault, the volcano went flying and it was possible my fists did as well but I’m not really sure about the last part.”</p><p>“Noya!”</p><p>“It’s a yes or no question, Hinata. And I need it to be a yes, or else the entire class is going to get some really sexy photos of-”</p><p>“Okay, okay! I’ll do it!”</p><p>"You will?"</p><p>“Yes, I will, you literally just threatened me. And I’ve never had a problem with the oh-so-scary Kageyama Tobio, so I’m sure I’ll survive with minimum injuries.”</p><p>Having gained what was sought, Nishinoya jumped off the chair he was sitting on and engulfed Hinata in a quick hug. “If you say so. Thanks, Hinata, you’re the best!” </p><p>With that, Nishinoya dashed out of the room. </p><p>"This isn't even his free period." Hinata heard one of the students next to him remark. No wonder Noya couldn't afford another hit to his grades; <em> maybe he should start with actually attending his classes. </em></p><p>Well, regardless, Hinata didn't mind helping out a friend, and it didn't hurt that he was expunging his record on top of it. </p><p>Of course, it had been a stroke of luck being partnered with Kiyoko Shimizu and Hitoka Yachi. Kiyoko was diligent, ordered and punctual while Yachi, a studious student herself, brought creativity and zealous application to any worthwhile enterprise, school or otherwise. The fact that they were one of the hottest and cutest girls in class respectively certainly didn’t hurt either. </p><p>As he gathered up the various writing supplies and books crowding his desk, haphazardly shoving them into his bag, Hinata realized he forgot to bring up to Nishinoya the fact that his own grades weren’t necessarily valedictorian-worthy himself. That might have been  the reason he was paired with the two girls in the first place, meaning the initial obstacle started before he could even introduce himself to the infamous students: Getting Mr. Takeda on board with Nishinoya’s plan. </p><hr/><p>“And you agreed to this willingly?” Was all Tanaka could ask when Hinata had finished recounting that morning’s episode with Nishinoya. </p><p>The boys were lounging casually against their decks, waiting for the students in line before them to finish taking up the personal time of their popular teacher that they themselves so desperately needed. </p><p>“Weren’t you listening? I wasn’t willing for a single part of that. Legally, I can’t be held accountable for anything that was said if it was under duress.”</p><p>“Listen man, all I’m saying is that you went along with it in the end. I can’t blame Nishinoya for trying to hand them off to you, nobody in class wanted to be partnered with them. I still feel sorry for ya though..”</p><p>“I didn’t realize this was such a unanimous thing. Did I miss a poll or something?”</p><p>Tanaka hesitated before responding, glancing around them as if someone might be trying to listen in. Aside from their teacher engaging with a couple of lingering students by his desk, a kindness Mr. Takeda guaranteed at the end of each class, the room was empty. Hinata wasn’t sure who he was on the lookout for,though. He couldn’t even recall where the newly transplanted student, Kenma Kozume nor the veteran social pariah Tobio Kageyama sat in this class. Neither boys seemed to be those that either drew or relished attention, and with no reason to interact, both had remained a mystery Hinata had had no intention of solving. </p><p>“Nishinoya wasn’t the first one to get partnered with them.” Tanaka revealed in a whisper much quieter than Nishinoya’s. “They went through half the class, but everyone kept on trying to pass them on.” </p><p>“Geez...Why does everyone dislike them so much?” </p><p>“It’s not so much the new kid, although he certainly hasn’t warmed anyone up to him with his silence. The teachers know not to call on him in class, that’s how bad it is. He doesn’t answer any questions that get asked of him, and he’s only been in one other group project before. He went through the whole thing without speaking once.”</p><p>“Maybe he’s just more on the quiet side. Making a move like that from one country to another has to be hard.”</p><p>“I’m sure you’re right but it’s been two months. Highschool is sink or swim, baby, drip or drown. Which brings us to Kageyama. He’s a shark alright, but not a popular one.”</p><p>“Something about what he did in middle school, right?”</p><p>“Yeah, but I transferred here sophomore year so I don’t know much about that. If you’re really curious, ask Oikawa about it. I heard they went to the same middle school together. Actually, I heard they were kind of close.” </p><p>“You’re kidding? The Great King and Kageyama?”</p><p>“That’s just what the rumor mill produced, don’t take my word for it, ask him yourself. What I can say though is that before Nishinoya, Oikawa was the one paired with both of them for the group project.”</p><p>“Man...I wonder what poor Nishinoya got put through that he ended up with him.”</p><p>Tanaka smirked. “Oikawa paid him a hundred bucks to take them.”</p><p>“That little piece of-”</p><p>“Hinata! Tanaka! Is there something you’d like to discuss?”</p><p>Mr. Takeda was looking their way, his trademark gentle smile still on his lips from whatever pleasant conversation he had been having. </p><p>Inwardly, Hinata cringed. How many times had Mr. Takeda had the same conversation about switching partners in the past two days since the project was announced?</p><p>“Go ahead, Hinata, you go first. I only stayed behind to ask teacher for another extension on my report and that’s sure to put him in a bad mood. You don’t want to see Mr. Takeda mad. Or even worse...” Tanaka shuddered, “Disappointed.” </p><p>As resident class-clown and troublemaker, Hinata figured the boy knew what he was talking about, and decided to heed his advice. He advanced towards the desk, braced for the worst.</p><p>“Hey, Mr. Takeda! How are you doing today? Are those new glasses? They look really good-”</p><p>“Hinata, I’ve worn the same frame for the past twenty-five years.” </p><p>Hinata paused mid-sentence, stumbling over his words as he struggled to recover, “Well-they uh-That doesn’t mean they don’t look hot-”</p><p>
  <em> Why the hell did I call his glasses hot? </em>
</p><p>He could hear Tanaka burst into laughter behind him. Maybe Hinata wouldn’t be so nervous if his stellar reputation of being someone who doesn’t wear skirts in school bathrooms weren’t on the line! As it was, he felt his palms moisten with sweat and any form of explanation jam up in his throat, refusing to make their way out. </p><p>“Relax, Hinata, it’s okay, I know why you’re here. Nishinoya already talked to me.” </p><p>It took a second for the words to process, but when they did, his shoulders loosened and unwittingly a sigh of relief escaped his lips. </p><p>“He did?”</p><p>“Indeed he did. He found me before school started actually. I think that was the first time Mr. Yu has ever been early to school.”</p><p>Which means Nishinoya talked to their teacher before Hinata even agreed to take them...Oh, he was definitely going to get Noya back for this. </p><p>“And did you say yes? To me taking them, I mean.” </p><p>“Well, to be honest, I haven’t decided yet. Mr. Shoyo, I’d like to speak freely with you, if you don’t mind?”</p><p>“Of course, sir.” Hinata always felt special when the teacher addressed him by his first name, as if they were adults with important business matters to discuss.</p><p>“I paired you with Ms. Kiyoko and Ms. Hitoka for a reason.” Mr. Takeda revealed, confirming Hinata’s previous suspicions. </p><p>“Because my grades suck in this class-”</p><p>“No. Well-No, not solely because I feel you could use the educational motivation I’m sure those two girls will provide. The main reason I paired you three together is because I believed you would all benefit from working on this project with each other. Your easy going personality and positive spirit would help Ms. Hitoka’s tendency to overthink her work, while her artistry might draw inspiration out of Ms. Kiyoko. Meanwhile, the former’s dedication to completing assignments on time is something you could stand to learn from.” </p><p>The last sentence, while stern, was accompanied with a knowing smile that actually managed to make Hinata feel guilty for always procrastinating on his assignments. </p><p>Hinata sheepishly scratched his head, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot, as one does when you come to the conclusion your teacher is an actual person.  “I didn’t realize you put so much thought into choosing partners.”</p><p>“Of course I do, I care for each of my students. Which brings me to my second point, I’m worried for these two boys. When I first paired them with your classmate Mr. Koutaro, it was with the hope that his upbeat disposition would draw the two out of their shells. Not soon afterwards, Mr. Hajime approached me and explained that with a relatively short attention span, Bokuto usually relies on those more accustomed to his temperament to maintain the grades he has. There is no need to indulge in any more details, but the fact remains that Mr. Kozume and Mr. Kageyama have been passed around this classroom like a cold.”</p><p>Mentally, Hinata made a note of the teacher’s metaphor. Maybe he could use it in the book report due tomorrow that he had yet to start writing. </p><p>“How would you feel if it seemed like none of your peers wanted to associate with you?”</p><p>“I’d feel....not good, probably.” </p><p>“Probably so, yes. Of course, certain students had their own reasons for not wanting to be partners and I cannot blame them for that, but I cannot imagine Kenma is feeling very welcome right now, nor Tobio feeling accepted. So, how about this: I will accept Mr. Yu’s and your proposition to switch partners, as he could certainly benefit from an academic partner himself, but if you don’t mind, I’d like you to promise me that you’ll do your best to work with these two boys and make them feel like they belong to this school. Does that sound okay?”</p><p>Hinata had learned two things from this conversation. </p><p>         1. Mr. Takeda talked <em> a lot </em>.</p><p>         2. Mr. Takeda was pretty cool. </p><p>Well three things. </p><p>         3. He would do what he could to make his teacher proud. </p><p>“Yes, sir!” Hinata resisted the urge to salute. “I’ll do my best, I promise. You know what, by the end of this I bet all three of us will even be best friends!” </p><p>Mr. Takeda gave him another warm smile. “Well, that would certainly be nice to see. And if anyone is sunny enough to take on this task, I’m sure it’s you, Mr. Shoyo.” </p><p>Hinata’s chest swelled with pride, and he felt the need to escape the room before he did something embarrassing, like blush at his teacher’s kind words. </p><p>“Thank you, teacher! I won’t let you down. Bye! Have a great day!” And with that, Hinata bolted out of the room, just in time to hear Mr. Takeda address the lone student waiting behind him. </p><p>“Why don’t we instead discuss why you so often need an extension, Mr. Masahiro?”</p><p>Hinata was glad he had heeded Tanaka’s advice and gone before him. Thanks to the conversation with the teacher, he felt a lot more excited about the upcoming project. Nishinoya had been worried for no reason! With the right attitude, anything was possible, and Hinata had both the right attitude and lots of it. He would prove to the whole class that they were wrong for treating this Kenma and Kageyama the way they had, and he would have fun doing it. </p><p> </p><p>Of course, he was still going to find a way to get Nishinoya back for the whole thing.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Your Input is Essential</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hinata was banging his head on the cafeteria table when Nishinoya and Tanaka walked in with their lunch trays.</p><p>They approached just in time to laugh at Kei Tsukishima’s passing comment, “Should you really be doing that, Hinata? You have so little brain cells left as is.”</p><p>Instead of the usual agitated reply, Hinata just continued lifting his head up and dropping it violently back onto the table. The two boys exchanged a worried glance, and even Tsukishima looked back in some sort of concern, but Hinata continued to pay them all no mind. </p><p><em> Bang. </em>“You okay, man?”</p><p>“No.” <em> Bang. </em></p><p>“Wanna talk about-” <em> Bang. </em> “-it?”</p><p>Hinata lifted his head up once more, but this time turned to meet their anxious faces with his own troubled gaze. </p><p>“Yes. Yes I would.”</p><p>They settled down on either side of him, immediately tearing into their food like starved beasts while managing to look expectedly at him. </p><p>“I tried to talk to Kageyama and Kenma today. It. Was. Horrible.”</p><p>Nishinoya opened his mouth to say something along the lines of, “I told you so” but refrained when their mutual friends, Koushi Sugawara and Sawamura Daichi, joined the group. </p><p>“That’s rough, buddy.” He commented instead, still earning himself a raised eyebrow from Sugawara.</p><p>“What are we talking about?” Daichi asked, not waiting for a response before he too dove into his lunch.</p><p>“Hinata got partnered up with Kageyama Tobio and that new foreign exchange student a couple days ago."</p><p>Hinata didn’t bother revealing the true story, too overcome with frustration. </p><p>“I tried to start a conversation with both of them two separate times this morning! Kenma just stared at me like I was dumb. Kageyama stared at me like-” Involuntarily, Hinata shuddered. “Like I had just killed his cat, or something. I tried to explain to Kenma that we were going to be partners but he didn’t say anything in response.” </p><p>Sugawara, now interested in the story, asked “Did you tell Kageyama the same thing?”</p><p>After a beat of silence, Hinata answered with a sheepish expression, “No. The first time I walked up to him I said something like, ‘Hi, how are ya?’ and he didn’t even bother to answer. Just sat on the bench outside and drank his milk. Wouldn’t even look at me.”</p><p>“Yikes.”</p><p>“Yeah, my thoughts exactly.”</p><p>“And what about the second time?”</p><p>“The second time was right before lunch. I was going to ask if he wanted to sit with me, and I started by saying ‘Hey, how you doing?’ and he said-” Hinata paused, taking a moment to try and contort his face into the scary expression he had been given. He furrowed his eyebrows and set his lip into a hard straight line. He even went so far as to flatten his spiky orange hair into the flatter style of the severe student with his hands. </p><p>“-‘You said that already.’ I couldn’t even bring myself to respond, I just apologized and walked away.”</p><p>“Did I mention, yikes?”</p><p>“Your input is essential, Tanaka.”</p><p>“So neither of them know yet that you have to work together for the project?” Daichi asked, not looking up from his plate. “Sounds like communication is your main issue.”</p><p>“Kenma <em>should</em> theoretically, but it’s not like either of them acknowledged it in any way. Ugh, It’s too depressing to even think about, I’ll just figure it out later.”</p><p> “Do you have the time for that? The project is due in two weeks, sure, but the reason Takeda gave so much time is because he’s expecting some polished results.” Sugawara warned.</p><p>“I talked to him yesterday about getting a couple extra days since we already have a late start. Let’s just say I got partnered with them late, but that's okay because I’ll use that time to figure out how exactly I can get them to work with me.”</p><p>Nishinoya whistled, “Well good luck with that, man.”</p><p>Even though Hinata was pretty sure he didn’t want to hear the answer, he asked regardless, “How are things going with Kiyoko and Yachi?”</p><p>Just hearing the name of the pretty student was enough to make Tanaka lift his tray up and dramatically slam it into the table, as hard as Hinata and his head. </p><p>“Damn you, Nishinoya.”</p><p>“Behave, Tanaka.” Daichi scolded automatically.</p><p> Off to one side, Nishinoya grinned, “I can’t help that Lady Luck grins in my favor.”</p><p>Hinata frowned, “I’m the one who grinned in my favor.”</p><p>“You certainly did have the tendencies of a lady that one day-”</p><p>“You shut your whore mouth.”</p><p>“Language, Hinata.”</p><p>“It’s going great, thank you for asking. Yachi already had individual outlines for the roles we would each take on for the assignment and Kiyoko-”</p><p>“You dare speak her name in my presence?”</p><p>“-provided a list of ideas for the story. It’s the best assignment I ever could have gotten.”</p><p>Hinata groaned and harmonized Tanaka's tray slamming with his head once more. </p><p>“What assignment are you guys talking about?”</p><p>A newcomer to the lunch scene, Asahi Azumane, set his tray down next to them and swiftly joined both the group and the conversation.</p><p>“It’s a Takeda doozy.” Tanaka complained. “We were separated into groups of three and we have to work together in writing a short story that’s then going to be passed around anonymously and graded by the rest of the class.”</p><p>Asahi’s eyes brightened, “That sounds fun! Fiction or nonfiction?”</p><p>“Fiction,” Nishinoya piped up, “And you would say that, you fucking nerd.”</p><p>“Noya!”</p><p>“Imagine being in AP English.” Tanaka shook his head in disapproval. “Couldn’t be me.”</p><p>"It really couldn't."</p><p>Sugawara interrupted their conversation to point to someone standing off to the side of them, “Look, Hinata, there’s Kageyama. You should invite him to come sit with us.” </p><p>Hinata didn’t even bother to look. “I have been scarred enough for today, thank you.”</p><p>Unhindered by the deflated response, Sugawara continued to scan the cafeteria. “I don’t see Kenma though, he should definitely be scheduled for lunch right now, I wonder where he is.”</p><p>“That’s a problem for tomorrow’s Hinata.” Hinata nonchalantly remarked.</p><p>On either side of him, Tanaka and Nishinoya nodded sagely in unison. </p><p> </p><p>As Sugawara continued to look at the lone student who paused only a moment to scan the cafeteria before heading towards an empty table in the very back of the room, his expression softened. </p><p>“He’s sitting all alone. I think we should invite him.”</p><p>“Maybe he wants to be alone.” Nishinoya pointed out before resuming the attack on his food. </p><p>“Or maybe,” Tanaka sipped loudly on his Capri Sun, “Everyone avoids him because of what happened in middle school.” </p><p>Sugawara raised an eyebrow, a clear sign to tread carefully. </p><p>“How do you know what happened to him in middle school?” Hinata asked, "Before you said you didn't know."</p><p>“Oh, I got detention with Hajime Iwaizumi.”</p><p>“And you actually talked to pretty boy’s boyfriend?” Nishinoya wondered with obvious incredulity.</p><p>“Well, I was in detention in the first place for trying to fight Oikawa. Iwaizumi just happened to be there as well and we started talking ‘cause he leaned over and went, ‘Don’t touch him again but also like, dude I get it.” Tanaka smiled with fondness. “Cool guy.”</p><p>“What does this have to do with Tobio Kageyama?” Asahi asked.</p><p>“Right, well we ended up talking during the detention and started trading pieces of gossip. One of the juicer tidbits-”</p><p>“Did you just say <em> ‘juicer tidbits’ </em>?”</p><p>“-Was that Kageyama had been in this big scandal a couple years ago in middle school. Got temporarily suspended and everything.”</p><p>“What did he do?”</p><p>“Perhaps we shouldn’t be discussing this. It’s not our business.” Sugawara warned.</p><p>Tanaka continued regardless, “Well <em> apparently </em> he got into this huge fight with another one of the students. It was bad. Beat the everloving-”</p><p>“Tanaka, stop.” </p><p>Surprised, the boys at the table all looked towards Sugawara, who was frowning with displeasure. </p><p>“Someone’s past shouldn’t be lunch gossip for the rest of the school. You’re all as bad as a couple of old ladies.”</p><p>“But Suga,” Hinata complained, “This could help me with the assignment! If I can find out why he acts this way I can-”</p><p>“I don’t care. You’re not gonna have this discussion while he’s thirty feet away all alone.”</p><p>The three culpable boys in particular dropped their gaze in guilt. </p><p>“Besides, lunch is almost over.”</p><p>Just then, the school bell went off, accentuating Sugawara’s point. </p><p>Only innocent conversation followed as they cleaned up their respective spaces and headed out together towards the next class, but not even Sugawara noticed the same solitary student gazing unreservedly after them. </p><hr/><p>The dawn of the next day inspired a renewed feeling of determination inside Shoyo Hinata, and focusing solely on the confidence he repeatedly attempted to summon, he entered the school yard intent on tracking down Kozume Kenma. </p><p>It was a task that proved harder than it seemed, especially when the irritating responsibility of attending classes continued to get in his way. </p><p>Even for the few classes that he did share with the boy, Hinata would always arrive late, thanks to his one-person hunt, and thus miss the one opportunity to try and talk to him. Kenma seemed to have the ability to disappear at will, for as soon as the class was over, he sneak out of the room, as subtle as a shadow under the midday sun. </p><p>Either that or Hinata wasn’t very good at paying attention, but really, which option was more likely?</p><p> </p><p>Eventually, with the final class before lunch coming to a close, Hinata decided he would just have to make the ultimate sacrifice if he truly wanted to succeed in tracking down this master of elusion, and and skip lunch.</p><p>He was ready to give up the search about five minutes in, wearily wandering the deserted hallways and tiredly peeking into classrooms, all while keeping one sorrowful hand on his empty stomach. </p><p>“If I leave now...I can still make it in time…” He muttered to himself. “...I can’t be expected to search on an empty stomach...right?”</p><p>Negotiating a deal with himself that he would hurry to lunch after checking one final place, Hinata quickly forgot about his hunger when he entered the library and bore witness to the sound of success: a quiet voice seeming to come from behind one of the many shelves. </p><p>Not wanting to interrupt, Hinata quietly made his way forward, slowly tiptoeing across the floor despite the fact the library was carpeted ground.</p><p>He approached the shelf unseen. Kenma was standing at one end, his back currently facing Hinata. He was on the phone, in what sounded to be a heated discussion. </p><p>"学期を通してどのようにここに滞在することが期待されているのかわかりません。." </p><p>From the plaintive tone, Hinata could only guess Kenma was pleading for something from whoever was on the other line.</p><p><em> Well </em> , Hinata thought to himself, <em> it's definitely the foreign exchange student.  </em></p><p>Even if he hadn't been speaking Japanese, the boy's slight build, chin length blonde hair and oversized bright red jacket he had never been seen without were more than enough characteristics of his to be recognized.</p><p>As he listened to whatever the other person had to say in response, Kenma turned around, just barely missing the sight of Hinata, who was not yet ready to be seen, leaping off to the side.</p><p>Unsure of what to do next, Hinata made his way down the aisle of the parallel shelf, still fully in earshot of the conversation. He could even see quick glimpses of Kenma as the boy paced back and forth, obviously agitated.</p><p>
  <em> Maybe that's why he's so uncommunicative. He's dealing with something difficult, and so he doesn't want to talk to anybody.  </em>
</p><p>Hinata decided to take it upon himself to figure out what exactly his fellow student was going through; without a second thought, and no Sugawara to stop him, he grabbed his phone from his pocket and recorded what was being said, intent on inputting it into a translator. </p><p>Of course, it would be so much easier if Hinata could just understand what he was actually saying.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Wait. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> I can't understand what he's saying. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> That means… </em>
</p><p> </p><p>"OH!" </p><p> </p><p>A startled yell escaped Kozume Kenma as he stared straight ahead to where the random exclamation had come from. With a trembling hand, he reached out in front of him and nervously removed a book from the shelf. All of a sudden, he found himself meeting the bright, shining eyes of one Shoyo Hinata.</p><p>Their eyes met for only a second before the same student was running out of his own aisle and into Kenma's, waving his arms excitedly.</p><p>"THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T TALK TO ANYONE! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. AND WE DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU."</p><p>"黒尾さん、折り返し電話します。." Kenma whispered into the phone before hanging up and shoving it into his pocket. Resolutely, he met Hinata's eager gaze, less scared but still very confused. Struggling to remember the basic conversational English he had been attempting to study, haltingly Kenma sounded out a sentence.</p><p>"What do...you want?" </p><p>Hinata grinned. This was technically a conversation, and thus an unmitigated victory in his mind. </p><p>He jabbed a finger at his own chest, "I'm Shoyo Hinata! I know who you are, Kenma Kozume, right? We're going to be partners for one of Mr. Takeda's assignments."</p><p>Recognition sparked in Kenma's eyes and he nodded hesitantly, though whether it was in response to their teacher's name or his own, Hinata wasn't sure. </p><p>"I think we should start talking about the project as soon as possible. Mr. Takeda only gave us a couple extra days to catch up, and honestly I have no idea what we're going to write about."</p><p>Kenma stared at him for a couple of seconds before shaking his head in confusion. </p><p>"Oh, sorry. Everyone always tells me I talk too much but I bet it's doubly true now, huh? Hey, lunch is in session now, what are you doing here? Nevermind, I'll ask you later. In the meantime, let's find a translator, huh? There's gotta be someone in this school who speaks Japanese."</p><p>Kenma shook his head once more, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.</p><p>"That's what you were speaking, right? Japanese? Don't worry, I promise we'll find someone, okay?" </p><p>A single nod. </p><p>"And after we do that, we gotta talk to Kageyama and get him on board too. That might be harder than finding a translator." </p><p>That same spark of recognition appeared. "Ka..ge...yama." The boy confirmed..</p><p>Hinata nodded enthusiastically in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. "Yeah! Kageyama is our third partner. Don't worry, as soon as we find the translator we can talk to Kageyama."</p><p>"<em> Hai. Kage...yama. </em>"</p><p>"I promise we'll do it right after." With the matter decided in his mind, and thoroughly inspired once more, Hinata held out a hand towards the new student, urging him to take it. </p><p>"Come on! We can go get some lunch too while we find someone."</p><p>Hinata didn't need to speak the same language to know just how unsure Kenma was; his expression said it all.</p><p>"I know it must have been hard having to come from one school into an entirely different one. And not being able to understand what people are saying to you...Even worse, not being able to make yourself understood, geez, that's like my worst nightmare. Point is, I bet it was really difficult and probably lonely too."</p><p>Kenma hardly ever blinked, staring instead with those golden eyes. This was the first time Hinata realized just how sharp they made him look. Of course, this was also the first time Hinata had been close enough to really study them.</p><p>"Lone...ly." Kenma repeated slowly, as if trying out the sound.</p><p>Hinata stretched his arm hand out even further, beckoning Kenma to hold on with a smile as bright and as warm as the sun.</p><p>"Not anymore." </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>life is a cereal and i am the soggy pieces of lucky charms left drowning in the milk</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I've only ever once finished a multi-chaptered fic, so let's prepare ourselves for the result of that 50/50 record. </p><p>That being said, the story is still being formulated so if there's a plot point you'd like to see played out, let me know in the comments and I might just be able to add it to the story! Comments are my lifeblood, so I'd love it and you if you left one. </p><p>HMU on tiktok if you wanna talk (@cabbage.patcho) and see you next chapter</p></blockquote></div></div>
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